Leather skiving machine or splitter



@ct. 31,1950 R. w. HALL 2,527,811

LEATHER SKIVING MACHINE OR SPLITTER Original Filed July 19. 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 1 I N VEN TOR.

Get. 31, 1950 Rkw. HALL LEATHER smvmc MACHINE 0R SPLITTER 4 Sheets-Sheet2 Original Filed July 19. 1947 INVENTOR. Zpiz W di/ RE BY M f Get. 31,1950 R. w. HALL 2, 27,811

LEATHER SKIVING MACHINE 0R SPLITTER Original Filed July 19. 1947 4Sheets-Sheet 3 Oct. 31, 1950 R. w. HALL LEATHER SKIVING MACHINE ORSPLITTER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed July 19. 194? mQN kNN RNNPatented Oct. 31, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LEATHER S'KIVIN GMACHINE OR SPLITTER g Ralph W. Hall, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to TheRandall Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Originalapplication July 19, 1947, Serial No.

762,177. Divided and this application September 13, 1948, Serial No.49,075

- This invention relates to improvements in a leather skiving machine,splitter, or the like. This application is a division of my pendingapplication Serial No. 762,177, filed July 19, 1947 which issued asPatent Number 2,524,013 on September 26, 1950.

An object of this invention is to provide means for adjusting andlimiting the spacing between rolls of a leather splitting machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide adjustable stop membersfor limiting the spacing between rolls of a leather splitting machine toa selected distance.

A further object of this invention is to provide stop members eachhaving a plurality of steps adapted adjustably to limit the spacingbetween rolls. These and other objects and advantages are. attained bythe means described in the following specifications and illustrated uponthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the skiving machine embodying theimprovements herein described, parts being broken away for clarity ofillustration and description.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental perspective view of the swivel head,with parts broken away for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the roller assembly andknife support.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmental view of the pressure roller assembly inelevation, with parts broken away for clarity of illustration.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a step flange collar used inspacing the pressure roller in relation to the skiving knife.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the step flange collar taken on lineVI-VI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmental view, partly in cross section, showing theapplication of the step flange collar in relation to the pressure rollersetting screw.

Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the pressure roll springmounting means.

Machines for skiving leather and kindred materials are in general usagefor producin thin sheets employed in the manufacture of bill folds,

bags and cases of various types, shoe parts, andmany other articles ofcommerce incorporating thin flexible sheet leather and similarmaterials. Such machines heretofore have given notorious- 1y poorservice in the performance of their in tended functions, due to theirrelative infiexibility of operation, their inability to process withequal effectiveness all grades or weights of raw 8 Claims. (0]. 69-10)material, and various other limitations most of which result from thevaried nature of the materials to be processed. The limitations whichimpair the usefulness and elliciency of such machines are well known inthe trade, and many efforts have been advanced in the past with thepurpose of overcoming some of the difficulties, but the market still hasbeen seeking a satisfactorily operative and serviceable machine which iscapable of advanced universal usage and productiveness. The machine ofthe present invention has proven itself greatly superior to othersheretofore offered to industry, in its ability to process raw materialsvarying considerably as to weight, size, hardness, and uniformity ofthickness, and in addition, provision has been made for maximumcontinuity of operation by reason of mechanical improvements, and theincorporation of means permittin a plurality of different skivingoperations simultaneously. Various other advantages 'of merit. in theimproved machine will become manifest to those As exemplified in Fig. 1,the head, generally indicated by the character 15, is mounted on the bedl6, which in turn is supported by the legs I! and I8. The head l5 restsdirectly upon the upper flat surface 19 of the forwardly extendingcentral portion [4 of bed l6, being universally slidable thereon withindefined limits.

An endless band knife 29 (Fig. 1) tracks upon a pair of horizontallyaligned coplanar rotating drums 30 and 3|, mounted at opposite ends ofthe bed H5. The knife, on its upper run, passes through openings 32(Fig. 2) provided in the head uprights 34 substantially centrallythereof, then passes under the forwardly extending central portion M ofthe bed IS on its lower run. The knife 29 performs a splittin or skivingaction on leather orother material as said material is fed into themachine from the feeding table 33. The knife blade 29 always travels ina fixed path upon the drums 30 and 3| and through the head l5,regardless of the angularly swiveled position of the head IE or theforward or rearward position of said head on the bearing surface l9.

The machine is provided with two sets of knife guides, one directlybehind the feed rolls, as shown at I I! in Fig. 3, and the other at thegrinding station, as indicated at H8 in Fig. 1. The knife guides ll'l(Fig. 3) are mounted upon the knife guide supports H9, which in turn aresupported between the head uprights 34 (Fig. 2) and held againstdisplacement by means of the screws USA. In order to precludedisplacement and distortion of the knife when leather or the like isbeing fed to the said knife, a backing blade I26 is provided, which issupported by the plate I2I mounted upon an adjustable back bar I22,shown inFig; 2. The back bar is mounted on back bar supports I23 bymeans of adjusting screws I25. The knife guides H8 are mounted insuitable brackets depending from the bed I6 (Fig. 1).

.A pair of vertically aligned parallel feed rolls I28 and I29 arehorizontally mounted in the head I (Fig. 3) and rotated in oppositedirections toward the beveled forward edge I36 of the knife 29, saidrolls being driven by an ap propriate motor, not shown.

The upper feed roll I28 is called the gauge roll because it controls thethickness of the split of leather. This roll, which may be solid, isjournaled in bearings I31 (Fig. 2) mounted in the vertically adjustablegauge roll carriage I33 mounted upon the head, the up and down movementof which i's'controlled by the "hand wheel I39 centrally disposed uponthe sprocket housing I49 atop the head I5. Within the housing is achaina'nd sprocket mechanism for rotating in unison the screws I 43which elevate and lower the gauge roll carriage I38; Adjustingmeansfcraligh'ingthe "gauge 'rollin parallelism" with the band knife' 29 :arefin ciica'i'ed asfadjusting collars I42 threaded upon the screws 1M3 andlocked by the'ilocknutsfll'l when the proper adjustment hasbeenflmade byrotating, the collars within the smoothly'bored brackets I45 fixed tothe carriage.

f frhe gauge roll carriage I 39 is also provided withbressure Din limitgauges (Fi 3), one at each end of said carriage. I p

The'lower feed roll I29 is called the pressure roll and isiyieldablymounted on springs at opposite'sides of the head I5, the amount ofspring pressure being controlled by the hand wheel I62, Fig. 2 As shownin Fig. 1, the pressure roll I29 isdriven by means of spiral gear I36,said roll being journaled in the pressure roll assembly, generallyindicated by the symbol I63 (Figs. 2 and 3). The pressure roll assemblyis slidably mounted in the vertical slideways I65 provided in the headuprights 34. A plunger guide I69, bored for slidably receiving theplunger housing I61, is secured to each outer face of the head uprights34, as indicated in Fig. 2. The cylindrical plunger housing I61 is boredfor receiving the plunger I68 (Fig. 8) which is tapped for threadedlyengaging the lower end of the stud I69 and counterbored for receivingthe compression spring I16. As will be noted in Fig. 8, the spring I10is confined within the plunger I68 and the plunger housing I61 byabutment with bottom "I 'of the plunger housing bore and the shoulderJ12 of the plunger counterbore. The upper endof the sImd I69 is inengagement with the clevis I13 (Fig. 2), which in turn supports thepressure roller assembly I63 by engaging the laterally extending arm I15thereof. Means for locking any adjustments made upon the pressure rollspring mount may be provided, such as the lock ut I16 on the stud I69.

As ereinbefore stated,th spring pressure of thepressure roll I29 iscontrolled by the hand wheel I62, which is keyed to a shaft I11 suitablyjournaled in bearing blocks, one of which is shown at I18 in Fig. 3.Keyed to the shaft I11 is the worm I19 which meshes with the worm gearI81 keyed to a longitudinal shaft I82 joure screw I89, to each end ofthe front plate naled in and extending through the head uprights 34, abearing being shown at I83. Keyed to each outer end of the longitudinalshaft I82 is a pinion I83 (Fig. 8), the teeth of which engage-the rackteeth I85 provided on the outer diameter of the plunger housing I61.

Thus it will be seen that rotation of the hand wheel I62 will act toelevate and lower the pressure roll assembly I63 in the verticalslideways I65.

Means for limiting the upward travel of the pressure roll assembly maybe provided, such as the adjusting screws I86, shown in Figs. 1 and 7. Ablock I81 is suitably fixed, as by means of the I89 or the pressure rollassembly, said blocks being tapped for the reception of the adjustingscrews I86. By means of these adjusting screws, the ends of which abutthe under surface I89 of the feeding table 33, the lower pressure rollI29 is prevented from coming into contact with the knife 29 as thepressure roll assembly is elevated. The adjusting screws I86 may be setto receive the minimum thickness of leather fed to the feed rolls.

In order to eliminate guess work and the necessity of re-setting theadjusting screws I29 each time a different thickness'of leather is fedto the knife, means for quickly and positively setting the pressureroller I29 may be provided. A step flange collar I89, shown inperspective in Fig. 5, is envisioned for accomplishing this object. Theflange I90 of the collar is provided with a series of sector-like stepsI93, as shown, the flange becoming progressively thicker with eachsector, beginning with the thinnest sector I9I and ending with theheaviest sector I92. The step flange collar I 89 is centrally apertured,as at I95, for rotatably mounting same upon the under surface I84 of thefeeding table 33, the mounting means being a stud or screw I96, shown inFig. '7. The collar diameter may be knurled, as at I91, to providefinger gripping means in rotating the collar, said collar being mountedwith the upper face I98 thereof in abutment with the under surface I86of the feeding table 33, in a position whereby the end face of theadjusting screw I86 will contact the substantial median radius of theflange steps I93. A blank or cut-out sector I99 may be provided betweenthe steps or sectors I9I and I92 in order to permit the adjusting screwI86 to directly contact the under surface I 84 of the feeding table whenthe pressure roll I29 is set for the minimum thickness of leather.

Thus it will be seen that it is an easy matter to adapt the pressureroll to various thicknesses of leather by the simple expedient oflowering the pressure roll assembly I63 by means of the hand wheel I62,manually rotating the step flange collars I89 until a predetermined stepor sector thickness reaches a' point above the adjusting screws I86, andthen elevating the pressure roll assembly until the adjusting screwscontact the step flange collar I89.

Means for positioning each step or sector sub stantially centrally ofthe adjusting screws I86 may be provided, such as the ball 206 peenedinto a. pocket 2III of the collar I89, and backed by the spring 202, theball being urged by the spring into one of a series of sockets 263radially disposed upon the under surface of the feeding table 33 inalignment with the steps or sectors I93.

When the pressure roll assembly I63 has been elevated to the point wherethe adjusting screws I86 contact the feeding table under surface I84 ora step I93 of the flange collar, as the case may be, the hand wheel I62is given approximately two full turns for the proper working compressionof the springs III] in the plunger housing I61. This compression, ofcourse, may be varied to suit the individual requirements of varioustypes and textures of leather.

In order to compensate for variations of thickness in a piece of leatherbeing fed to the knife, novel compensating means have been provided, asillustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. It will be noted that the pressure rollI29 comprises a plurality of collars 205, each independently yieldablevertically, the collars being mounted upon a roll shaft 206, said shaftbeing provided with longitudinal grooves 201, which may be substantiallyV-shaped, as shown in Fig. 3. The inner diameter of the collars issubstantially the same in configuration as the outer diameter of theroll shaft 206, but substantially larger in size, to permit verticalmovement of the collars upon said shaft. The space between the collarsand shaft is indicated at 288. The engagement of the inwardly projectingV-shaped lugs 209 in the collars 205 with the corresponding U-shapedgrooves 20'! on the roll shaft 205 assures rotation of said collars withrotation of said shaft.

The pressure roll collars 205 are independently urged upwardly by meansof frictionally rotatable rollers 2H! mounted in spring loaded clevises2 I I, said rollers being .at all times in contact with the roll collars205, as illustrated, the rollers ZIO and the clevises 2H being equal innumber to the pressure roll collars 205. As shown in Fig. 3, theclevises are mounted in a clevis block 2I2, bored to receive the clevisshanks 2 I3 and counterbored as at 2I5 to receive the springs 2M inencircled relation with the clevis shanks 2I3 As illustrated in Fig. 3,the clevis block 2I2 is interposed between the pressure roll assemblyfront plate I88 and back plate ZIB, said plates being detachably securedto the clevis block by means of the screws 2I'I-2l8. For purposes ofclarity, the front plate I88 is omitted from Fig; l. A longitudinal slot2I9 is machined in the clevis block M2, in alignment with the bores 2I5,the slot providing a seat for the clevises 2 when downward pressure isexerted upon them. The springs 2M are confined in the bores 2I5 by theclevises 2 I I. The lower end of each clevis shank 2I3 is threaded as at220, and threaded thereon is a pair of perforated jam nuts 22 I. Meansfor turning the contiguous pairs of nuts 22I upon the threaded clevisshanks have been provided by the perforations 222 in said nuts, the nutsbeing rotated by a rod, such as 223, inserted in said perforations. Aswill be noted in Fig. 4, the jam nuts are adjusted to provide aclearance 225 between the clevis 2H and the clevis block 2| 2 when theclevises are urged upwardly by the springs 2M. The clearance 225 issubstantially equal to the clearance 208 between the roll shaft 266 andthe collars 2B5. Clevis pins, upon which the small rollers 2m aremounted, are indicated at 226. Adjustable scraper plate 224 and 224A,suitably fixed to the gauge roll carriage I38 and the pressure rollassembly I33, respectively, as shown in Fig. 3, may be provided. a

Fig. 4 clearly delineates the function of the pressure roll I29 on apiece of leather 22'! being fed to the knife 29. Normally the leather,as it is gripped between the rotating feed rolls, will force thepressure roll collars 205 down upon the roll shaft 286, as shown by thecollars 205A. If

a thin section in the leather 221 is encountered by the pressure rollI29, the collars which are in contact with the thin portion will forcethe leather upward against the solid gauge roll I28 by the action of thesprings 2 I4, as indicated by the collars 2953 in Fig. 4, thus assuringa split of leather of uniform thickness. It might be here stated thatthe upperor usable part of the skived leather is called the split, whilethe lower part is scrap or waste. In Fig. 4, the split and scrap areindicated by the symbols 221Aand 2213, respectively.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the arrangement ofclevises disclosed herein relieves vital parts of the machine of undueand injurious strains that might otherwise spring the shaft, andparticularly the roll shaft 206 which is made relatively light in orderto keep the size of collars 205 within reasonable size limits. Aspreviously stated, the collars all have a definite clearance for lateraldisplacement upon the shaft 206. This clearance is the same as the limitof reciprocation of the clevises. Thus, the lock nuts 22I are adjustableto preclude upward movement of the clevises beyond the free movement ofthe collars permitted by the collar clearance at the roll shaft 206, sothat none of the force of springs 2 I4 is available to arch the shaftupwardly intermediate its ends, when splitting thin leather or when themachine is running idle. Similarly, the shoulders 2IA of all theclevises provide definite and substantial stops operative against theheavy rigid clevis block or bar M2, to limit the extent to which a thickor hardened workpiece might force the collars 205 downwardly, therebyavoiding depression of the collars beyond the downward limitsestablished by the collar clearances at 225. Thus, there is no danger ofcollar shaft 206 being sprung or downwardly arched, by passing anunusually thick or hard workpiece through the machine. 7

In addition to the advantage of individually yieldingly'mounted collars2B5 forming the pressure roll I 29, the entire pressure roll assemblyIE3 is yieldably mounted upon the spring loaded plungers I68, ashereinbefore recited and shown in Fig. 2. This pressure roll designassures efficient operation of the machine and a uniform quality ofproduction.

The machine constructed as disclosed herein is highly productive andwill perform many operations which heretofore had to be assigned toother machines especially adapted for splitting different grades andweights of leather. Repeated handling of the products is therebyavoided, and the machine therefore is kept in continuous operation witha resultant saving of labor and operating expense. Various otheradvantages have been set forth previously herein, and still others willbe evident to those skilled in the art.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in thestructural details of the machine may be made, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, a pressure roll, mounting meansfor said pressure roll including means for elevating and lowering saidpressure roll, a feeding table including a lower face, means forlimiting upward travel of said pressure roll, said limiting meanscomprising a block having one end extending upwardly therethrough andadapted to abut said feeding table lower face when said roll is elevatedto its limit, means for selectively limiting the upward travel of thepressure roll to other predetermined limits, said selective limitingmeans comprising a step collar including a flange, said flange beingprovided with a plurality of sector-like portions progressivelyincreasing in thickness, beginning with a sector of minimum thicknessand ending with a sector of maximum thickness, a sector-like portion ofthe flange being completely removed between the minimum thickness andthe maximum thickness thereof, said step collar being rotatively mountedupon the feeding table lower face contiguous to the point where theadjusting screw contacts the said lower face, said adjusting screw beingadapted to selectively abut the various sector-like portions of saidflange upon elevation of the pressure roll.

2. In a machine of the class described, a pressure roll, mounting meansfor said pressure roll including means for elevating and lowering saidpressure roll, a feeding table including a lower face, means forlimiting upward travel of said pressure roll, said limiting meanscomprising a block including a vertically disposed tapped hole, saidblock being fixed to the pressure roll mounting means, an adjustingscrew threaded into said block having one end extending upwardlytherethrough and adapted to abut said feeding table 7 lower face whensaid roll is elevated to its limit,

means for selectively limiting the upward travel of the pressure roll toother predetermined limits, said selective limiting means comprising astep collar including a flange, said flange being provided with aplurality of sector-like portions progressively increasing in thickness,beginning with a sector of minimum thickness and ending with a sector ofmaximum thickness, and means rotatably mounting the sector collar uponthe lower face of the feeding table in position to dispose the sectorsthereof selectively in intercepting relationship to the adjusting screw.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, apressure roll, and a gauge roll, means on the frame rotationallysupporting the gauge roll in substantial parallelism with the pressureroll, means for bodily shifting the pressure roll relative to the frameand toward and from the gauge roll, and means including a series ofstepped abutments for predetermining a, multiplicity of spacings betweenthe gauge roll and the pressure roll.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, apressure roll, and a gauge roll, means on the frame rotationallsupporting the gauge roll in substantial parallelism with the pressureroll, means for bodily shifting the pressure roll relative to the frameand toward and from the gauge roll, and means selectively adjustable forpredetermining a series of spacings between the rolls.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frameincluding a feed table, a pressure roll, a gauge roll, means on theframe rotationally supporting the gauge roll in substantial parallelismwith the pressure roll, a slidable carriage including journalsrotationally supporting the pressure roll, means for moving the carriagetoward and from the gauge roll, resilient cushion means intermediate thecarriage and the carriage moving means, and adjustable stop meanslimiting movement of the carriage toward the gauge roll in advance ofoperation of said resilient cushion means, to urge the pressure rolltoward the gauge roll.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frameincluding a feed table, a pressure roll, a gauge roll, means on theframe rotationally supporting the gauge roll in substantial parallelismwith the pressure roll, a slidable carriage including journalsrotationally supporting the pressure roll, means for shifting thecarriage toward and from the gauge roll, a stop i normally fixed formovement with the carriage and toward the feed table, a stop collarrotationally mounted upon the feed table, an extending flange on thestop collar located to be struck by the stop when the carriage iselevated, and steps on the flange selectively alignable with the stop asthe stop collar is rotated to various positions, to establish differentelevations of the carriage relative to the feed table.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frameincluding a feed table, a pressure roll, a gauge roll, means on theframe rotationally supporting the gauge roll in substantial parallelismwith the pressure roll, a slid-- able carriage including journalsrotationally supporting the pressure roll, means for shifting thecarriage toward and from the gauge roll, a stop normally fixed formovement with the carriage and toward the feed table, a stop collarrotationally mounted upon the feed table, an extending flange on thestop collar located to be struck by the stop when the carriage iselevated, steps on the flange selectively alignable with the stop as thestop collar is rotated to various positions, to establish differentelevations of the carriage relative to the feed table, and means foradjusting the normally fixed stop in the direction of travel of thecarriage.

8; In a machine of the class described, the combination of a frame, apressure roll, a gauge roll, means on the frame rotationally supportingthe gauge roll in substantial parallelism with the pressure roll, a,slidable carriage including bearing means rotationally supporting thepres sure roll, means for yieldingly shifting the carriage toward andfrom the gauge roll, a stop and a rotary stop collar, one of which ismounted upon the shiftable carriage and the other upon the stationaryframe, an extending flange on the stop collar located to be struck bythe stop when the carriage is elevated, and steps on the flangeselectively alignable with the stop as the stop collar is rotated tovarious positions, to estab lish different elevations of the carriagerelative to the stationary frame.

RALPH W. HALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,382,755 Baxter June 28, 19212,082,057 Hood June 1, 1937 2,423,500 Johnson July 8, 1947

